Phil Cunningham

"A victory for small breeders!" That was the emphatic verdict from an emotional Muriel Knox after her family had topped Tuesday's opening session of the Goffs UK Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale with their homebred Havana Grey (GB) filly for £240,000. Mark McStay's Avenue Bloodstock struck the winning bid on behalf of Skara Glen Stables. Lot 157 might have been consigned by Sarah Fanning Sales, but it's fair to say that this was a Knox filly through and through with Miss Mercy (Ire) (Law Society) as her fourth dam, a mare...

One of two maidens in the line-up for Friday's Listed Ire-Incentive - Pays To Buy Irish Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury, Phil Cunningham's Yah Mo Be There (GB) (Mohaather {GB}--Shurakaa {Ire}, by Night Of Thunder {Ire}) produced a telling turn of foot to provide his first-crop sire with a breakthrough black-type winner at the track on which the Shadwell freshman captured the G3 Greenham Stakes and G3 Horris Hill Stakes. Second on debut to the highly-regarded Andesite (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}) at York in May before running down the field in...

Classic-winning owner Phil Cunningham has said that linking up with renowned bloodstock agent Anthony Bromley to secure nearly £1 million worth of yearlings in the past week alone can be viewed as a statement of intent ahead of what the 53-year-old hopes will be his best season yet in 2024.  Cunningham, whose Cockney Rebel (Ire) landed a memorable Guineas double in 2007, spent £617,000 on seven colts at the Goffs Premier Yearling Sale last week and added another five to the squad through the Highflyer agent at the Tattersalls Somerville...

Everybody loves a bargain, especially in January in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. The latter may barely have affected the bloodstock sales so far, but a knock-on effect may be felt if smaller or syndicate owners start to reduce their racing investment, which in turn would surely have a bearing eventually on the lower end of the yearling market. The top tier generally takes care of itself, while the middle market has been given a great boost by increased international participation, though that in itself is not necessarily a...

The National Stud's resident Rajasinghe (Ire) (by Choisir {Aus}) became the latest first-season sire to break through on Monday when his son Waiting All Night (GB) took the five-furlong maiden on Wolverhampton's Tapeta. Homebred by Phil Cunningham, the Richard Spencer-trained bay who traded at 12-1 travelled strongly tracking the leaders for James Doyle and when tackling Confederation (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) a furlong out was soon in command to score by 3/4 of a length. The dam, who has a yearling full-brother to the winner, is a granddaughter of Poppy...

Five years ago, a colt by Choisir (Aus) emulated his trailblazing sire with victory at Royal Ascot. When Rajasinghe (Ire) lined up for the G2 Coventry S. he was about to make only the second start of his career following his debut victory at Newcastle a month earlier. At the Royal Meeting, the colt owned by Phil Cunningham's Rebel Racing stepped forward again to deliver his trainer Richard Spencer an important breakthrough success in only his first full season with a licence. "We've been quite lucky, obviously it's still quite...

English and Irish 2000 Guineas hero Cockney Rebel (Ire) (Val Royal {Fr}-Factice, by Known Fact) passed away on Tuesday afternoon, owner Phil Cunningham announced on Twitter. He was 17. "It is with great sadness that I advise the death of Cockney rebel this afternoon," Cunningham tweeted. "He gave myself, my family and all of those connected with him such great memories that I could only have ever dreamed of. The horse of a lifetime, you changed my life." Bred by Oak Lodge Bloodstock, the March-foaled bay was a 14,286gns weanling...